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Apparatus for drying leaf productsApparatus for drying leaf products description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070172564, Apparatus for drying leaf products. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001]The present invention relates to an apparatus for drying leaf products. [0002]More specifically, the invention concerns an apparatus permitting continuously drying leaf products, such as salad and similar delicate products. [0003]As it is well known, drying steps are provided when processing food products such as leaf products and generally speaking vegetables. To this end, various apparatuses are presently available. [0004]In case it is necessary drying huge amount of product, drying is carried out using heat exchange tunnel systems. This solution has well evident drawbacks, among which the high managing and maintenance costs and the fact that said systems can ruin products, particularly leaf products that are particularly delicate. [0005]Apparatuses are already available on the market in order to overcome these problems. [0006]Main technical problem of this kind of apparatuses is that they have a batch operation mode. In other words, product to be dried, once loaded in the apparatus, is dried by centrifugation and then removed, and then the same cycle is repeated. [0007]In order to overcome this problem, the Applicant has already filed the Italian Patent Application No. RM2002A000032. Said application describes an apparatus mainly comprising an elevator belt for continuously loading the product, a continuous discharge elevator belt, and a centrifugal system. [0008]Main problem of this kind of solution is due to the fact that it creates rather bulky product heaps on the discharge elevator belt, thus creating problems to the following operation along the line. [0009]It is thus evident that these solutions are expensive and require a long time to complete the process. [0010]In view of the above, it is object of the present invention that of suggesting an apparatus for drying delicate leaf products permitting a continuous drying step, with a consequent increase of processing rate of the processing lines providing said apparatus. [0011]It is therefore specific object of the present invention an apparatus for drying leaf products substantially comprised of a product supply or loading section, of a product centrifugation and drying section and of a dried product discharging section, operatively serially provided each other, wherein [0012]loading section comprises a conveyor belt for continuously supplying the entering product P, and a hopper, normally closed at the bottom for collecting the product supplied by the conveyor belt and then discharging the collected product on the drying section, [0013]the centrifugation and drying section, downward the collection hopper of the supply section comprises a continuous conveyor with two parallel chains on which a plurality of centrifugation baskets is mounted, each one rotating about its own axis, said transport chains being provided along a closed loop path defining an onward run and a return run, said transport chains being moved by toothed wheels actuated by a motor, as well as by means for conferring to said centrifugation baskets a fast rotary motion about their own axis, [0014]the discharge section, receiving the dried product from the centrifugation section, and transferring the same at the exit, comprises an elevator conveyor belt operated by a motor. [0015]In such a structure, each centrifugation basket receives a set amount of said product supplied by said supply means and is sent along a lengthened cyclic circular path along a plane substantially vertical wherein each centrifugation basket makes an onward run, during which the centrifugation occurs, and then it is upturned for discharging the product subjected to treatment and then making the return run. [0016]During centrifugation, product contained within said baskets is pushed against the lateral holed surfaces of the baskets and is substantially dried by the centrifugal force effect caused by said rotation, then falling on said discharge means after the upturning of each centrifugation basket. [0017]Advantageously, according to the invention, said apparatus comprises one or more pushing means acting on said motion transmission means so as to maintain them under a suitable tension, thus increasing the mechanical coupling force. [0018]Preferably, according to the invention, said apparatus comprises a tunnel wherein said centrifugation baskets enter during the rotation about their own axis so as intercepting water ejected from product centrifuged within said baskets, said tunnel comprising lateral drainage for water collection. [0019]Always according to the invention, said apparatus comprises water jets for cleaning said centrifugation baskets, preferably while they are upturned, and thus during the return path of the conveyor on which they are fixed. [0020]In a preferred embodiment, said apparatus comprises a frame, with respect to which said loading conveyor belt can translate, and an articulated system for translating said conveyor belt with respect to said frame, suitable to permit translation of said conveyor belt with an advancement speed substantially corresponding to the advancements speed of said centrifugation baskets and with the same direction of said products, and having also a return speed, said conveyor belt following each centrifugation basket up to its filling by said supply means and going back with said return speed up to the start position, in order to fill in the following basket. [0021]Obviously, advancement and return translation speed of said loading conveyor belt are correlated with the centrifugation belt advancement speed and can be based on the following formula: V.sub.2=2V.sub.1. [0022]In a further embodiment according to the invention, said apparatus comprises at least a fan creating one or more air jets for drying and cleaning said centrifugation baskets, preferably when they are upturned. [0023]The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein: [0024]FIG. 1 is a schematic lateral view of an apparatus for drying leaf products; Continue reading about Apparatus for drying leaf products... Full patent description for Apparatus for drying leaf products Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus for drying leaf products patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Apparatus for drying leaf products or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Container for a whole egg Next Patent Application: Method and system for molding chocolate utilizing an air knife and products made Industry Class: Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Apparatus for drying leaf products patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.20776 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Daimler Chrysler , DirecTV , Exxonmobil Chemical Company , Goodyear , Intel , Kyocera Wireless , 174 |
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